


a lonely me; a lonely you

by jamesiee



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Gen, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Non-sexual cuddling, Wordcount: 500-1.000, friendship fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 05:52:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12227058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamesiee/pseuds/jamesiee
Summary: Bitty misses Jack something fierce. It’s like an ache deep in his muscles, one that he can’t shake no matter how he stretches them out.“This a pity party for one or...?”Bitty jumps; he hadn’t heard the porch door open but he twists and there’s Lardo.Friends miss friends together.inspired by @jack-manpain-zimmermann's beautifulartwork





	a lonely me; a lonely you

**Author's Note:**

> pairings: Lardo & Bitty friendship fic, mentioned Bitty/Jack, ambiguous Lardo/Shitty
> 
> @[jack-manpain-zimmermann](https://jack-manpain-zimmermann.tumblr.com) posted a gorgeous picture of [Lardo and Bitty](https://jack-manpain-zimmermann.tumblr.com/post/165895568271/jack-manpain-zimmermann-anyone-else-imagine) sitting together on the porch and comforting each other about missing their graduated seniors and i couldn't let the idea go
> 
> unbeta'd so any and all mistakes are my own.

It wasn’t cold when Bitty first sat out on the porch, but the wind has picked up since the sun went down. He pulls the sleeves of his borrowed shirt down over his hands and presses them into his thighs, hoping to rub feeling back into them.

He really should go in; junior year has just started and his professors have wasted no time in setting due dates on top of their required readings so his to-do list is already a mile long. It’s inside though, sitting on top of the textbooks he brought down to the kitchen to work at the table, but it was too quiet working there by himself.

Strange that he finds a Haus that four other people live in too quiet, but last semester working at kitchen table had been something he’d done with Jack and Jack’s quiet companionship was something that could not be replicated.

Bitty sniffs wetly and rubs at his eyes; even though he’d spoken to Jack on the phone earlier that evening before he boarded a plane, Bitty misses Jack something fierce. It’s like an ache deep in his muscles, one that he can’t shake no matter how he stretches them out.

“This a pity party for one or...?” 

Bitty jumps; he hadn’t heard the porch door open but he twists and there’s Lardo, looking smaller than usual in the oversized denim vest she wears over a sports bra and underwear.

“You’re gonna freeze out here,” Bitty replies, but he holds an arm out in invitation. “And get splinters in your ass.” 

Lardo doesn’t reply, but crosses the porch to cuddle into Bitty’s side. She’s careful about how she sits though, so Bitty knows at least one of his warnings was heard.

“It’s so quiet,” Lardo says after she’s gotten comfortable. Bitty smooshes his cheek into her hair and nods, even as he hears Holster overreacting to Chowder’s opinion on The Office.

Bitty’s not sure what label Lardo uses to define her relationship with Shitty, isn’t sure that she even knows truthfully, but he knows that they had similar enough schedules that they made and ate breakfast together every morning before their classes last year.

Bitty hasn’t seen Lardo make breakfast since she officially moved into the Haus.

Lardo sniffs loudly. Bitty silently offers her his extra long sleeve and knows better than the comment when he feels it get slightly damp. Hell, his other sleeve comes away wet when he wipes at his own face as her shoulders shake slightly.

He’s not sure how long they sit there, breathing deeply to get their breath back, but his face feels tacky and raw when Lardo finally shifts like she’s going to get up.

“Shitty coming down for the home opener?” Bitty asks. He pulls the collar of his borrowed shirt up to wipe his face. If Lardo recognizes the shirt she doesn’t say anything while she uses the bottom of the vest to wipe at her face.

“Should be,” she answers, clearing her throat after her voice breaks on the first syllable. “Jack?”

Bitty just nods, not sure how she knows that he’d know.

“Good. I miss him.” Lardo stands and offers Bitty a hand up. 

“Yeah,” Bitty agrees. He let’s Lardo pull him up, maybe acting as more of a dead weight than he needs to, just to see Lardo smile. “I miss Shitty.” 

“Assholes had to graduate, I guess.” 

They let themselves back into the Haus, actually quiet now as it’s late enough for the other occupants to be in bed. Bitty hesitates at the kitchen doorway, torn between getting started on his reading list, or going up to his room. He’s not tired yet though and knows if he goes upstairs, he’ll just sit sadly in the dark, counting down the minutes until Jack’s flight lands. The boys and Lardo might appreciate some brownies in the morning though, maybe he can do that. He’ll have to get used to working without a sous chef though.

Lardo must see his hesitation because she asks, “You want company?” nodding towards the kitchen, even as she’s at the bottom of the stairs, ready to go up.

Bitty nods gratefully and she disappears quickly up the stairs. She comes back down with her sketch book and sets up across from Bitty. He picks a song at random, knows that she likes background noise while she works and he’s not one to work in silence either.

It’s still quiet in the kitchen, but at least now it’s not lonely.

**Author's Note:**

> im on [tumblr](http://pongpalace.tumblr.com/post/165899521813/jack-manpain-zimmermann-anyone-else-imagine) if you wanna reblog and hangout! :)


End file.
